John Morris Russell leads the Cincinnati Pops on a traditional new recordingFanfare Cincinnati

New classical holiday CDs this year range from traditional orchestral arrangements to genre-benders for violin and piano. A soundtrack to a new musical also gives fresh life to a classic story.

Home for the Holidays
Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, John Morris Russell (Fanfare Cincinnati)

John Morris Russell leads the polished Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in a lavish, stylistically diverse collection of holiday favorites. “Deck the Halls” opens the festivities with sweeping glissandos, trilling winds and emphatic timpani that welcome a pretty spectacular sing-along. Contrapuntal digressions and elaborations keep it interesting. Rodrick Dixon adds a powerhouse voice that can shift easily from opera to gospel in “O Holy Night” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” A doo-wop vibe livens up “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” In “Sleigh Bells,” perky pitched percussion leads delightfully into a lush waltz. There’s even a nod to Chanukah, with several traditional songs melded into a riff on Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto. Throughout, Russell’s taste in arrangements is impeccable, just the right mix of sophistication and fun.

Home for the Holidays
André Rieu (Hip-O)

Classical crossover violin star André Rieu is known for the massive displays that accompany his performances. The Dutch musician has even gone so far as to include ice-skating rinks and horse-drawn carriages in concert.

On “Home for the Holidays,” he maintains his more-is-more philosophy with flourishes, orchestral swells and a choir singing “ah” behind his violin at every opportunity. But he doesn’t seem to have the same taste for luxury in choosing his co-stars. Kimmy Skota sings a shaky, sometimes flat “Ave Maria” (the Gounod version). She and other guest soloists only sound fully secure in the “Hallelujah” from Handel’s “Messiah.” The choruses that join Rieu for “O Holy Night” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” are not well coordinated with the soloist and orchestra.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Celtic Woman (Manhattan)

It doesn’t get much sweeter than Celtic Woman’s arrangements of the usual fare — for better and for worse. Classical purists may find the copious scooping, occasional breathiness and busy embellishments a little cloying. But the quartet of women showcased here sing with such pristine, angelic tone that it’s worth risking sugar shock. They blend seamlessly and provide a soothing contrast to noisier renditions — instead of clanging jingle bells, most tracks rely on twangy, lilting violin, piano and woodwind accompaniment. “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” gets singled out for grand treatment, with brass fanfare and strings whooshing upward. But even better is the simple, contemplative rendition of “Auld Lang Syne,” which places the focus on the singers, where it should be.

Stradivarius Christmas
Jasper Wood & David Riley (Max Frank Music)

Perhaps the most engaging of this year’s classically oriented holiday recordings is “Stradivarius Christmas.” Starting with a sonata setup — Jasper Wood on violin, David Riley on piano — Terry Vosbein’s settings fancifully spin romantic riffs and jazz forms out of carols and medleys in a way that keeps the listener guessing. The duo open with a lively ragtime feel, chugging pizzicato beat and virtuoso digressions for “O Tannenbaum.” Other highlights include a blues rendition of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman” and a bossa nova take on “O Little Town of Bethlehem” with a feisty interlude between verses and commanding high whistling violin. A disappointment is “Jingle Bells,” probably never meant to be a ballad.

A Christmas Story The Musical
Various Artists (Masterworks Broadway)

Even if you haven’t made it out to Broadway to see the new musical based on “A Christmas Story,” the soundtrack provides an energetic trip through the story complete with narration. Composers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul transform the movie’s iconic moments into distinctive songs. There’s an earnest tribute to the toy de resistance — “The Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun” — and then a Western fantasy sequence for Ralphie as he uses it to fight off bullies. Clarke Hallum’s belt rivals any “Annie.” The tongue stuck to a flagpole gets a catchy treatment with “Sticky Situation” and tender ballads for Ralphie’s mother (the lovely Liz Callaway) provide a nice respite from all the pep. The cast is from last year’s touring performance, not the current company.